The purpose of this website is to share my understanding, thoughts and feelings about mid 17th Century female fashion.
There was a long hiatus in my re-enacting hobby - not wholly through choice - and I missed it terribly. Although I didn't take part in any events for several years, I still made things when I had time, I was still inspired. This website is a way of documenting some of the work I've done and I hope others find it interesting. I started re-enacting again after the lockdowns were lifted in the UK in 2021. I now regularly take part in living history events as a volunteer for English Heritage at Chester Castle in the North West of England.
This site is not intended as a dress diary or 'how to make' guide. There are already plenty of those out there and they do the job far better than I ever could. Neither is it an academic exercise. I am not a scholar, I'd hesitate even to describe myself as an amateur historian (although I did get an A grade in my GCSE History exam - a long time ago).
I do, however, try to find out as much as I can about the topics which interest me. I now have more than just three books about costume. I read books and articles, watch documentaries, visit historic sites and museums. You can never know too much, or know everything. There is always some artefact or new piece of research waiting to be discovered and historians are constantly reassessing the evidence that we already have. In this regard, I am indebted to the academics and historians furthering our knowledge of the past and sharing their work with us.